Bidri Art Box

The craft of bidri is derived from the Persian, Syrian and Iranian handicrafts. The Mughal kings patronized bidri crafts. Craftsmen from Persia came to India under the patronage of the Mughals and settled down in the town of Bidar in Karnataka. The name bidri is derived from the name of the town of Bidar. Bidri was originally used to decorate royal swords and arms. Later domestic items like cigar cases and snuff boxes were also designed by bidri craftsmen.

Crafting a Bidri Art Box: The overwhelming beauty of bidri work takes hours to achieve. The original method involved inlaying gold or silver on a steel or copper base. Modern craftsmen use an alloy of zinc and copper as the base and inlay it with silver or brass. The zinc alloy gives the characteristic black color to the bidri box. The surface of the box is filed after it is cast and molded. Filing gives the surface a high gloss. A sharp iron tool is used to carve the design onto the surface of the box. Silver wires are then compressed into the grooves making them stand out against the dark background. The box is oxidized by heating and rubbing with a thick paste of ammonium chloride. Finally the box is polished with coconut or groundnut oil.

Specialty of Bidri Art Boxes:

Bidri art is famous for its dexterous craftsmanship. The most intriguing factor of bidri art is the detailed and complicated metal work on the surface of the box. The delicate patterns comprising of tendrils, vines and exotic birds make each piece of bidri article exquisite. The contrast of gleaming white metal against a glossy black background makes bidri art very eye catching. But the biggest factor that makes bidri art special is he time and energy needed to make a truly amazing bidri art box. Modern bidri art has gone through a lot of changes mostly because of promotional work done by NGO's. An NGO called ARTH has revived the bidri art by design inputs and marketing counseling.